Same-sex marriage rally draws hundreds to City Hall Plaza

Hundreds of people gathered at City Hall Plaza Tuesday amidst rainbow flags and hand-drawn peace symbols hoping to send the Supreme Court a message.

A pride flag flies over City Hall Plaza where a rally was held for same-sex marriage.Credit: Michael Naughton/METRO

Hundreds of people gathered at City Hall Plaza Tuesday afternoon amidst rainbow flags and hand-drawn peace symbols hoping to send a message 450 miles away where the debate over same-sex marriage reached the country’s highest court.

The group’s message was repeated in a chant across the brick plaza: “Dump DOMA.”

Just hours before the rally to support gay marriage, lawyers argued the merits of a challenge to California’s same-sex marriage ban before the Supreme Court justices in Washington, D.C.

Whitney Plantilla of Quincy showed up to the rally and held a sign that read “Say no to hate.”

“It’s really important that people realize that it’s not about just gay rights, it’s civil rights,” she said. “It’s really historic. I’m really happy to be part of it.”

The rally became emotional when Julie Goodridge spoke. She was one of the lead plaintiffs in the suit Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that lead to the landmark 2003 ruling by the state Supreme Judicial court that legalized same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.

She said she was in Washington, D.C., recently and went past the Supreme Court building where people were camping out ahead of the hearings.

“I burst in to tears because I’m so thankful that we have been able to make this happen in my daughter’s lifetime,” she said.

Mayor Thomas Menino told the crowd that he will always stand with them on the issue of gay marriage and urged advocates to keep the momentum going.

“There are a lot of tough decisions I make as mayor, but supporting marriage equality has always been an easy call for me,” Menino said. “It should be an easy call for the Supreme Court.”